A receiver of an electronic message often needs to identify the sender of the message. Conventionally, a name or an IP address is automatically attached to such messages to aid the receiver in identifying the sender. However, the receiver generally needs to ask the sender for other information such as the location of the sender. The receiver then depends on the sender to reply with accurate information. Requesting information can delay further communications and can result in inaccurate information being sent when the sender does not know the requested information, makes an error in the reply conveying the information, or is deceptive in the reply.
In a separate area of technology, locating devices such as the global positioning satellite (GPS) systems and triangulation systems have developed to a point where a relatively inexpensive device can accurately and quickly determine the device's current location. Such locating devices have been wedded to communication systems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,959,577 describes a system that transmits location information on a wireless network and tracks mobile units such as delivery vehicles. In such systems, a base station can request location information from a mobile unit or the mobile unit can send location information either periodically or when the mobile unit determines that the criterion for message transmission are met. Such systems generally send location information in the payload of message and only when requested.